Lake Conasauga - Family Camping
Nov 23rd, 2007 by Admin 1
One of the better spots to car camp in the Southeast, Lake Conasauga is not very easy for the gas devouring rv’s to get to, which makes for an excellent spot! Located in the Cohutta wilderness, this serene campground is set along a 19 acre lake which is the highest in north Georgia Lake Conasauga has just about everything you are looking for when it comes to family car camping. 
Located in the west portion of the Chattahoochee National Forest the campground is definitely not what you would expect to find as close as it is to civilization. You will need to prepare yourself for a 10 mile gravel road but this as you will see can be a good thing. The upper loop has 12 very clean, spacious, wooded sites. The lower loop has 5 lake front campsites that are all very nice. The rest on the loop are all nice as well and provide a good bit of privacy.
As you prepare for the weekend get away, please pack a cooler and remember to store your food inside your car whenever you are not cooking and leave no food, scraps, wrappers or anything out. Conasauga is Bear Country!, make no mistake. In fact, one time we went up with a few families and were staying at the site closest to the dam . We had begun to settle after a quick set up and it was dusk, we were all having a great time joking around and my sister in law Kerri told us all to be quiet, (be quiet!) We all looked up and less than 10 feet away, a 170 pound Black Bear was up on his hine legs scratching at the tree. We had not noticed but behind the tree, the last group before us had irresponsibly left a small trash bag hanging from the tree and he was scouting some dinner for himself.
We got everyone out and three of us made enough noise to get him up into the woods a bit Got the trash and threw it away and waited at a different site for a couple hours while he checked around for more to snack on.
There is a B loop with 4 sites on the other side of the lake. Additional sites on the main road beyond that. There is also group camping located in a field that is quite nice for those large group excersions.
For recreation there are a few trails, one being the Tower Trail which is short 2 mile trail to a fire tower overlooking the Cuhutta. There is also a lake trail which my family and I love to wake up and walk with our morning coffee.
You also have options for fishing swimming, canoing, kayaking which makes this a great spot to get away to when you trying to avoid the heat of the summer!
For those of you who need to stay connected a bit there is a decent cell signal on the road just above site 12 on the upper loop A.
Directions:
- North on 575/5 to Ellijay
- From Ellijay go west on Georgia Highway 52 for apprx. 7 miles and take a right on Gates Chapel RD.
- Follow this until paved road ends (past Bear Creek) and take a right on gravel road.
- Follow Signs for Conasauga for 10 Miles
This is one great camping place, with a nice compact feel and plenty to do. Having a clear lake with plenty of camping facilities this high in the mountains of Georgia is a real gem. It also has the advantage of being close in for the city dweller.
I remember you showing us this spot over a year ago, before you started campnpost. I need to find a time on the calender to experience this one for myself. It would be nice to get up there with the grand children!
Will try to go there in 2008!
Yeah, it would be nice to get you guys up here. It opens in Mid April so I will expect to see you then!